The present invention relates to tab sheet and flip-file card assemblies and methods for forming tabbed sheets, dividers or cards with the desired indicia printed on the tabs thereof.
A number of brands of software are available for causing laser, ink jet and other printers or copiers to print the desired indicia directly on tabs of dividers. However. the tabs of these dividers extend approximately one-half inch out from the divider sheet edge, which causes printer feeding problems. Where the body of the sheet has a width of 8-xc2xd inches, the one-half inch wide tab makes the effective sheet width nine inches. Unfortunately, many standard printers or photocopiers can only accept rectangular sheets whose widths do not exceed 8-xc2xd inches.
Also, when tabbed dividers are fed in the portrait direction of the divider sheet using multipurpose or cassette trays into ink jet, electrophotographic or laser printers, the dividers tend to skew as they enter the printer. This skewing occurs because the tabs, by sticking out from the edge of the body of the sheet, do not provide full continuous contact of each divider to the paper guide of the (multipurpose) printer tray. Additionally, since the paper guide is much shorter than the divider itself. the last few tab positions do not contact the paper guide; specifically, the fourth and fifth tabs of a five tab set and the fifth through eighth tabs of an eight tab set do not contact it. When these dividers are fed into the printer, the tabs can catch causing the dividers to not feed straight into the printer.
Directed to remedying the problems in the prior art, disclosed herein is an improved user-printable divider sheet or page with one or a series of reconfigurable tabs. Thin tab material is wrapped tightly around the edge of a divider sheet and adhered flat against both faces of the sheet. It thereby does not add significantly to the width or thickness dimensions of the sheet and obstruct feeding of the sheet into the printer.
The tab material is selected to accept and display clearly and cleanly indicia which is printed thereon by the printer, as desired by the user. After the indicia has been printed on the tab material on the first face and the sheet removed from the printer, the tab is formed. To form the tab, the tab material is released from the first face (but not the second face of the sheet). Then the released material is folded over onto itself and the distal end attached to the first face. Preferably the tab material is preformed with a fold line on the sheet first face side thereof and (the same) indicia is printed on both sides of the fold line. Then with the released tab material folded on the line to form the outwardly extending tab, the indicia is provided on both sides thereof, easily visible on both sides of the tabbed divider sheet
The tab material can be provided the length (or a substantial portion thereof) of the sheet edge on the first and second faces thereof, and divided into segments on the first face along the edge. Indicia can be printed on each of the segments, and each can be selectively released, folded and attached to form separate printed tabs. The segment selected will be at the desired location of the tab along the edge. Should tab needs change, the tab can be disconnected and that segment reattached in the original tab material position on the first face. If desired, another segment can be released, folded and attached to form a tab at a different location on the sheet edge.
That is, according to a preferred embodiment tie entire, for example, an 8xc2xdxc3x9711 inch, sheet (or other printable media) which is passed through the printer or copier forms the end product, for example, a tabbed divider sheet. Pursuant to another embodiment, the sheet after the printing operation on its tabbed material(s) is divided into separate smaller end products. They can be separated along perforation, substantial cut or through-cut lines, or a combination thereof. These lines are preferably preformed; that is, the sheets are provided to the user with the separation lines preformed therein defining the outlines of the smaller end products. At least one of the edges of the products can be conveniently defined by one or more edges of the sheet, for example at the sheet corner.
Tab material units are attached, as described above, to each of the sheet portions of the sheet, in an unfolded condition and flat against one face of the sheet. When the sheet is subsequently passed through the printer or copier, the desired indicia is printed on each of the tab material units, preferably on both sides of the score lines thereof. The printer or copier can be programmed to print the same or preferably different indicia on each tab unit on the sheet.
After the sheet has passed through the printer or copier and the indicia printed on the tab material units, the sheet is separated into its smaller end product units. Each is separated by pulling or tearing along its separation lines. After separation (or less preferably before), the tab material unit is released from the first face of the sheet, folded on the score line and reattached as described previously. Thereby, a plurality of (smaller) products, each with its own outwardly-extending tab with indicia printed on both tab sides, can be formed from a single sheet. One preferred configuration of these products is a flip-file card or ROLODEX card with the two slots along a bottom edge for fitting onto the rings of a flip-file card holder. The tab material can be attached at different locations along the top edges of the cards, to stagger or offset them from those of adjacent cards, to provide for easier reading and card access.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those persons having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.